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Winemaker's Notes

2009 is a spectacular vintage for Russian River Syrah, as great as ever seen and this is DuMOL's finest RRV Syrah bottling since its 2006 counterpart. The wine is very much driven by its aromatic power and intensity – it smells so alive it's really quite staggering. The aromas are constantly changing; morphing each time you return to the glass – that's the sign of a great wine – it's multidimensional.

Four of the six vineyard components are steep east-facing hillside vineyard sites that have great impact on the wine. Their vines absorb the gentle morning sun but their steepness moderates the harsher afternoon heat and this brings great character to the wine. The final two sites are very cool climate vineyards - Syrah planted in Pinot territory – and these bring elegance, texture and fruit purity to the blend.

This is a wine that will age into something truly spectacular.
At bottling the floral aromas dominated, but expect the meaty side of Syrah to gradually assert itself over the next few years as is typical with cool climate Syrah. For all its intensity and chewy concentration, however, the wine is always nimble and agile with great acidity on the long spicy, peppery finish. Don't miss this great bottling!

Critical Acclaim

CG92

Connoisseurs' Guide - "Generous and intensely spicy in tone with solid blackberry, gamy and black pepper credentials to its aromas, this full-bodied, tightly constructed wine comes with both depth and structure to spare. Its ripeness plays second fiddle to its fruit, and its flavors, despite their volume, have yet to begin their inevitable unwinding into greater layering and accessibility. At every turn, this exceptionally balanced effort sets strength upon strength and impresses that its only need is time in the bottle."

WS90

Wine Spectator - "Firm, intense and chewy, at points rustic and edgy, this manages to deliver a tight, potent, concentrated mix of dried berry, pomegranate, black licorice and cedar flavors. Ends with gritty tannins. Best from 2013 through 2020."

DuMOL Winery

DuMOL's 25 acre sustainably farmed Estate Vineyard is located on an undulating east-facing slope of one of the appellation's famous ridgelines. From this classic site and in tandem with some of the coastal area's finest growers, DuMOL crafts wines that fully capture the aromatics, flavors and textures that exemplify their vineyard sites and varietals character in the purest and most precise form.
View all DuMOL Wines

About Russian River

The Russian River Valley is named as such due to its proximity to the Russian River, the river itself named for the Russian fur traders who came down from Alaska in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. The Russian River is agricultural land. While there is a focus on wine, beyond the vineyards are many small, family-owned farms cultivating everything from cattle to Christmas trees.

Notable Facts

The proximity of this cool river and the rolling fogs from the Pacific Ocean make the area amenable to cool-climate grapes like Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. In fact, the region is quite known for its full-bodied, yet elegant Pinot Noir, as well as their ripe, yet lean Chardonnays. Within Russian River Valley lie the smaller appellations of Chalk Hill and Green Valley. Chalk Hill is the warmer of the two and furthest from the ocean, while Green Valley is cooler and closer to the water.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Fruity

Red wines that are more fruit-forward and lighter in tannin and body.

Smooth & Supple

Medium bodied reds that go down easy, with smooth tannins and supple fruit.